WHO welcomes new United States initiative on malaria
Statement by Dr Lee Jong-wook Director-General of the World Health Organization
I welcome the new U.S. initiative pledging increased investment of 1.2 billion dollars to tackle malaria announced today by President Bush. This initiative provides a timely and substantial boost to the global effort against malaria. Malaria casts a terrible shadow across the African continent. It kills more than one million people every year, most of them children.
In his announcement, President Bush made it plain that this new initiative is intended as a contribution to international efforts to prevent and treat malaria. The president challenged other donors, foundations and organizations from the public and private sector to contribute to the struggle against malaria. The World Health Organization looks forward to continuing to work closely with the United States government and other partners to pursue the global goal of rolling back malaria.
Preventing and treating malaria is one of the simplest and most effective ways to save lives. This new financial support will contribute greatly to the internationally agreed target of cutting by half the number of children and adults who die each year from malaria.